Chapter 287: To Wish for Sun Tzu

as she retorted, "Xiuming, among all your brothers, Grandmother loved you the most. Your father also fulfilled his responsibilities as a father, checking your homework whenever he had free time. When...Today is Sunday, a day of rest.

Gus Xueming went to Weiruixuan to pay his respects. When he arrived, Meng Jinyao had just finished her breakfast.

Meng Jinyao looked at Wen Wen'er, her expression respectful towards her adopted son. At first glance, he really seemed like a filial son. She secretly admired her adopted son's acting skills. His training over these days had become increasingly good. Just by looking at him, she couldn't see any flaws.

She curved her lips into a faint smile, adopting the demeanor of a loving mother, and said with a pleasant expression: "Xiuming, it's still snowing now, and the weather is cold. You don't have to come to pay your respects to me during this time."

Gu Xiuming respectfully replied: "To have a mother like this, I feel deeply honored. But Mother's consideration for me is different from my desire to be filial to her. Visiting elders on important occasions should not be canceled because of wind and snow."

Hearing him say this, Meng Jin Yao didn't refuse his request to pay her respects. After all, it wasn't herself who had been battered by the north wind on the road. She said, "Your filial piety pleases me as your mother."

Gu Xiuming asked, "Mother, where is Father"

Meng Jin Yao smiled and said, "Your father hasn't gotten up yet."

Gu Xiuming was very surprised: "At this hour, Mother has already gotten up, how come Father hasn't woken up yet"

About this little thing, Meng Jinyao didn't hide it from him, truthfully replying: "Your father has been very busy with work recently. He came back quite late last night and only went to sleep after the fifth watch. Do you have something to tell him If it's urgent, I can go wake your father up."

Gu Xiuming hurriedly said, "There's no need to wake Father up. I'm fine, I just didn't see him and was curious, so I asked a question."

After exchanging polite pleasantries for a while, Gu Xiuming left.

After he left, Meng Jinyao let out a low chuckle and whispered, "Even if you act well, there are still flaws."

Gu Xiumin sat not far from her. At that distance, he could smell a medicinal scent on her. A truly filial son would certainly be concerned if she was sick. Even a well-pretending fake filial son would notice this problem.

However, Gu Xiuming, this fake filial son, didn't realize the problem. Seeing that his stepmother was probably disgusted with him, he felt extremely repulsed in his heart and therefore ignored her.

Nóng only heard her whisper a word, unable to make out what she said, so he asked: "Madam, what did you say"

Meng Jin Yao shook her head. "It's nothing."

Not long after, Chun Liu entered the room carrying a rectangular wooden box, about as wide as a man’s palm. She handed it to Meng Jin Yao: “Madam, this is your custom-made hairpin. The shopkeeper from Jinyu Pavilion just delivered it. Please take a look and see if you are satisfied”

Meng Jinyao reached out and took the box. When she opened it, she saw a hairpin inside. It was a golden hairpin inlaid with red ruby flowers blooming in wealth and honor. The vibrant rubies were embedded in the center of the petals, entwined with gold thread, magnificent and beautiful.

She picked it up and examined it carefully, nodding in satisfaction: "Not bad."

There are still a few days until my friend Anning's wedding day. She specially had this hairpin custom-made at Jinyu Pavilion, it's her dowry for the wedding.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated!

Good afternoon.

Gu Jingxi went to the front yard study to handle official business. Meng Jin Yao was idle and bored. Now that the weather was cold, she didn't want to go out, so she followed him to the study.

He handled official business, while she quietly read a book beside him, undisturbed.

A brazier of copper was burning silver charcoal not far away. Silver charcoal doesn't produce smoke, unlike dense charcoal which would fill the room with smoke once lit. It wasn't close enough to be smoked by it either.

Gu Jingxi casually looked up and saw Meng Jin Yao had unknowingly taken off her cloak at some point, moved her chair three steps away from the bronze incense burner, sat down, and was engrossed in a book.

Looking at her tranquil appearance, Gu Jingxi pursed his lips and smiled before burying himself back into his own work.

Time passed unknowingly. Gu Jingxi put down his pen and looked up, discovering that the lamps in the study had already been lit, and dusk had settled outside.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice: "My lord, it's me."

Meng Jinyao was feeling a bit drowsy, but hearing the voice, she immediately perked up with curiosity. If her memory served her right, the person outside the door should be Yu Chuan, who had been keeping an eye on Gu Xiuming.

Gu Jingxi raised his voice and said, "Come in.

After Yu Chuan came in, he immediately closed the door. Seeing Meng Jin Yao there as well, he was taken aback for a moment before bowing respectfully to both of them. Then, he went straight to the point: "My Lord Marquis, it seems that the Young Master is ill."

Meng Jinyao was very surprised and asked softly, "This morning Xiu Ming came to pay his respects to me. At that time, I thought he looked fine and in good spirits. Why did he suddenly fall ill"

Gu Jingxi looked at Yu Chuan, equally puzzled.

Yuchuan glanced at the two masters. Although it wasn't a big deal, he felt that it was related to the issue of offspring, so he should tell his master. He replied, "There is something wrong with the Young Master's side. I saw Li shi let the maidservant leave the house and secretly go to the pharmacy to buy deer penis and pig penis to make soup for the Young Master. He drank deer penis soup the day before yesterday and pig penis soup yesterday, but it seems like it didn't work. Li shi took care of the Young Master's face and didn't tell him what those soups were."

Upon hearing this, Gu Jingxi slightly frowned.

Meng Jinyao found it inconceivable. That rebellious son was only seventeen years old after the New Year, not very old at all. Young men are at their prime of vigor and vitality, with no injuries or illnesses. How could this be possible

Gu Jingxi said faintly, "There's no need to worry about this. Just keep an eye on him. If he dares to do anything underhanded, you come out and stop him first."

Yu Chuan was slightly taken aback, but then he thought that even if the young master couldn't, another child could be adopted. The incense of the Hou Ye's lineage wouldn't be broken. There were many children in the Gu family clan, so he quickly replied: "Yes, Lord Hou."

After Yu Chuan left, Meng Jin Yao mused, "Husband, he's so young yet his body is so weak Could it be that he was too promiscuous in the past and drained himself"

Gu Jingxi shook her head gently and said, "Before running away from marriage, he seemed to be a man of integrity, keeping himself clean, without even a concubine. I estimate that his body should be fine, it's just that he is unwilling to stop."

Meng Jiny Yao didn't react: "What do you mean"

Gu Jingxi explained, "He wasn't looking to find a legitimate wife for himself If a concubine became pregnant and gave birth to a child, women of lower social standing wouldn't dare marry him. After all, Li Yiniang wasn't an ordinary concubine, she was his favored one, the one he eloped with despite the family's reputation."

Meng Jinyao was stunned: "If you don't want children, isn't there a decoction for avoiding pregnancy"

Gu Jingxi retorted, "What if he didn't want Li Yi to know that he had betrayed their feelings Since they were already prepared to be together for life, why not have children"

Meng Jinyao frowned. Gu Xiuming did have feelings for Li Yiniang, but he wasn't single-minded when it came to interests. Perhaps he was feeling guilty, or maybe he was afraid that Li Yiniang would make a fuss, so he kept it from her. He waited until the marriage was a done deal before letting Li Yiniang know. Then, he would appease Li Yiniang, and even if she didn't accept it, she had to.

She twitched the corner of her lips, a cunning smile playing on her face: “He's currently unaware that those tonics he drank were actually aphrodisiacs. He can only endure it for a while. To be honest, I haven't experienced what it's like to be a grandmother yet. I hope Madam Li puts in more effort and brews some more tonics. Then she'll give me a fat grandson.”

Gu Jingxi was speechless from her words, seeing her smile so wickedly, helplessly chuckled: "We'll have grandchildren later, let's eat dinner first." flash of hostility appeared, and she replied: "Nothing happened, I just suddenly learned some things."Gu Jingxi, looking at those eyes filled with hatred, guessed: "Related to the Meng family"Meng Ji...